Precalculus: Position and Piecewise Velocity

Objectives

• Students will modify a piecewise linear graph of velocity to model a scenario.
• Students will make connections between a graph of an object's velocity and a corresponding graph of an object's position.
• Students will create velocity graphs based on an object's position, and position graphs based on an object's velocity.

Vocabulary

• vertex
• velocity
• position
• increasing and decreasing functions

About the Lesson

This lesson involves creating and comparing graphical representations of velocity and position based on real-life scenarios.
As a result, students will:

• Manipulate segments of a piecewise linear function to represent a real life scenario about the velocity of an object.
• Manipulate segments of a piecewise linear function to represent the velocity of an object given a real life scenario about its position.
• Make and evaluate predictions about the position of an object given information about the object’s velocity.